INSPIRING ACHIEVEMENT - Dalhousie Alumni - Dalhousie University

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Dr. Richard Florizone, ... Jefferies, a PhD student whose research is focused on making careers in ... KEISHA JEFFERIES
INSPIRING ACHIEVEMENT: A Report to Donors 2017–2018

“Donor support enables us to give back to our community and make a difference in the lives of many.” Dr. Richard Florizone, President and Vice-Chancellor, Dalhousie University

BUILDING ON SUCCESS I am pleased to report our fundraising milestones for 2017-2018. Thank you for your continued support and generous contributions. You have helped us raise almost $41 million* to support and inspire students, foster world-leading research, forge innovative partnerships, and contribute to society to help build stronger communities. As we celebrate our 200th year — a rare milestone among Canadian universities and one of which we are incredibly proud — thank you for being a part of our history. Dalhousie would not be the institution it is today if not for philanthropy. In our third century, we will continue to be guided and strengthened by our values. We believe in the transformative power of education; in its potential to shape and add meaning to our lives and our world. In the years ahead, it is our responsibility to sustain Dalhousie as a place where those transformations are made possible, attracting the most promising students, faculty and staff, and supporting them to succeed. And as you will read in the following pages, donors like you enable us to do this. Scholarships, bursaries and awards help us attract the best and brightest young minds. Like Nayani Jensen, Dalhousie’s 91st Rhodes Scholar, who was drawn to the university because of generous scholarship offers. Or Aisha Gattous, a third-year student, who found the financial support she needed to continue her studies when unforeseen circumstances arose. Your contributions enable us to give back to our community — one that has given us so much throughout our history — and make a difference in the lives of many. This is true for the seniors who benefit from a recent gift to Dalhousie’s Hearing Aid Assistance Program. You support students who strive to do the same. Like Keisha Jefferies, a PhD student whose research is focused on making careers in health care more accessible for African Nova Scotians. And it helps build entrepreneurial and innovative ventures like Creative Destruction Lab-Atlantic, where business concepts move from idea to execution, and provides invaluable mentorship to students. Let us continue to strive to be intelligent, inclusive and inspiring. To be a place where we develop ideas, knowledge and talent to build a better world. Where we reconcile our past and draw on the diverse strengths of all our people. Where we inspire creativity, courage and compassion. Where we bring together the best of our region with the best in the world, for the benefit of all. Sincerely,

Dr. Richard Florizone President and Vice-Chancellor, Dalhousie University *A detailed breakdown is available on page 13.

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“These real-world learning situations help me build confidence.” Vincent Chow, audiology student

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REWARDING OUTREACH A university’s impact is brought to life through the actions and contributions of its students, faculty, staff and alumni as they use their insights and skills to serve the community and world. The support from the Lions Club of Nova Scotia is helping to make that possible at Dal. A RECENT GIFT FROM THE LIONS CLUB OF NOVA SCOTIA for the Dalhousie Hearing Aid Assistance Program (DHAAP) is not only making a difference for seniors in the community, but also for students who gain hands-on learning experiences through the program. The Lions Club raised $73,369 for additional audiologic equipment for the DHAAP clinic. It is offered by the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, which provides refurbished hearing aids to low-income seniors who would otherwise not be able to afford them. The funds will be used to purchase much-needed equipment to diagnose hearing loss, measure for hearing aid fittings and more. DHAAP currently borrows equipment from another clinic at the School; the donation will allow DHAAP to have its own equipment and be self-sufficient. “Seniors used to have to visit their family doctor to access some of these services because we didn’t have the tools. They will now be able to get assessed and fitted for hearing aids all at Dalhousie’s School of Communication Sciences and Disorders,” says Joy Armson, Director of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. For students like Vincent Chow, a second-year audiology student who is also a student volunteer with the program, DHAAP provides an opportunity to work directly with audiologists across the province and to participate in all aspects of the program. He says it enables students to practice their clinical skills while giving back to the community.

“DHAAP allows us to put classroom learning into practice, refine our skills and practice our techniques. I work closely with licensed audiologists while dealing directly with patients,” says Vincent who is also completing his second-year practicum with DHAAP. “These real-world learning situations help me build confidence when it comes to skills like interviewing patients. This will be invaluable to my future career as an audiologist.” The DHAAP was established in 2011 by Dr. Rachel Caissie at the School of Human Communication Sciences and Disorders in partnership with the Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centre and the Society for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Nova Scotians. Now the Lions Club funds will enable community reach beyond the clinic. The funds will enable the clinic to buy audiology equipment that connects to an iPad, which will allow hearing screenings to be done at long-term care facilities, preschools, and perhaps others. Vincent notes that because the clinic runs very lean, it depends on the School for resources, including student volunteers like himself who work under the supervision of audiologists. Annually, more than 20 audiology students participate in patients’ appointments along with three to five speech-language pathology students. It’s a position that Vincent sees as a win-win. “Student volunteers help to boost the manpower of the clinic, which in turn provides greater service to patients.”

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RIPPLE EFFECT Through the support of scholarships, bursaries and awards, PhD student Keisha Jefferies is able to get her important research into the hands of those who will benefit most. KEISHA JEFFERIES (BSCN’13, MN’17) in many ways exemplifies the popular adage, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” A PhD student, Keisha has focused her research on how African Nova Scotian nurses perceive the challenges of entering and progressing in the profession. And she’s drawing upon her own personal experience to explore the topic. “When you don’t see yourself reflected amongst the practitioners providing care, it can be difficult to see a place for yourself,” she says. As a graduate level nurse, Keisha says she also identified a void when it comes to having other African Nova Scotian leaders in the field. But by being a leader on

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many fronts, Keisha is doing her part to help combat the issue. She’s been a volunteer peer mentor and tutor at the Black Student Advising Centre, a team lead with the Dalhousie Interdisciplinary Collaborative Clinical Education Program (ICCEP), a member of the Dalhousie Diversity Committee for the School of Nursing, and a Board member at the Black Business Initiative, where she worked directly with youth. And she also offers peer support for African Nova Scotian students in the nursing program. Between her research and working closely with these initiatives, Keisha’s hope is that more African Nova Scotians see a place for themselves. And she’s thankful for the support of those who have helped her along her own path, including peers, faculty, staff and Dal donors.

“Donor support enables graduate students like me to get our work into the communities where it’s needed.” Keisha Jefferies (BScN’13, MN’17)

“When I first decided to pursue nursing at Dal, an entrance scholarship made all the difference. I had already completed a Bachelor of Science and didn’t want to go further into debt.” The same was true when she decided to return to Dal for her master’s degree to build on some of the research skills she’d acquired on the job after a two-year work stint in the neonatal unit at the IWK in Halifax. As she forged ahead with graduate work, the value of her scholarships and awards — including the Electa MacLennan Memorial Scholarship, Margaret Inglis Hagerman Graduate Scholarship, and Dalhousie’s Indigenous and African Nova Scotia Entrance Scholarship and Conference bursary to name a few — not only made a difference for Keisha, but ultimately the greater community as well. “Donor support enables graduate students like me to get our work out into the communities where it’s needed. It allows you to put your research in the hands of the individuals who will benefit.” And that’s why support for graduate studies is crucial. Graduate students not only hold the promise of being tomorrow’s leaders, they help to move the innovation agenda forward by developing, implementing and supervising research projects. They add breadth and depth to existing initiatives with their own projects, opening new areas of exploration. And like Keisha, they connect with community groups, businesses and government departments on research projects that address current, relevant and complex issues. Their contributions expand Dalhousie’s capacity to create meaningful change in the world. “Financial support allows me to focus on conducting and sharing my research work,” Keisha remarks. “As researchers, I think it’s a disservice to what we’re trying to achieve and those who we are serving if we’re not able to invest ourselves fully and produce quality work.”

LEADING MEDICAL RESEARCHERS Dal’s Research in Medicine (RIM) program is advancing health care by supporting research opportunities for medical students and preparing the next generation of researchers. The first of its kind in Canada, RIM is a required program that introduces medical students to research from the start of their medical training. From first year on, RIM fosters research and critical thinking abilities as students complete independent projects. The program is invaluable in instilling a thorough understanding of the vital role that research plays in today’s health-care system. And because of donors, not only is RIM thriving, it’s providing financial support to students as they focus on their projects during the summer months in first year. Endowment funds for medical and research education through the Faculty of Medicine and Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation mean there is funding available for every medical student. “RIM funding helps us train and support the next generation of doctors who are committed to advancing research knowledge, so they may sustain and strengthen this research environment and in turn, strengthen our health-care system,” says Dr. David Anderson, Dean, Faculty of Medicine.

SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2013: MORE THAN

EACH MED STUDENT RECEIVES

MEDICAL STUDENTS HAVE COMPLETED RIM PROJECTS

TO SUPPORT THEIR RESEARCH PROJECT

400 $5,000

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“The financial support and flexibility that my scholarships have provided me have definitely enabled me to not only focus on my academics, but also my extracurricular activities. I had the freedom to focus on a range of things I enjoy.” Nayani Jensen, engineering student

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SCHOLARLY

DESIGNATION

Our donors help to establish a strong foundation of support for the creative thinkers and problem solvers who will go on to become the leaders of tomorrow. Like Dal’s 91st Rhodes Scholar Nayani Jensen. NAYANI JENSEN KNOWS THE POWER OF SCHOLARSHIPS. Not only is she Dal’s 91st Rhodes Scholar — arguably the most prestigious scholarship in the world — she has received several at Dalhousie that have been invaluable to her education. In fact, it was a generous scholarship that attracted the engineering student to the university. “My scholarships have been a game-changer… especially when paying for tuition,” says Nayani, who has managed to pen a novel and several plays alongside her co-op studies in engineering. Her strong grades have earned her several awards including, the Bruce and Dorothy Rossetti Engineering Undergraduate Scholarship, Dalhousie’s Chancellor Scholarship (the university’s largest undergraduate scholarship) and the Edward (Ted) Rhodes Scholarship in Engineering (for engineering students with a knack for the arts). And Nayani truly believes her scholarship support at Dal has had a direct link to her merit as a Rhodes Scholar. To become a Rhodes Scholar, a student must demonstrate an elite academic performance, character and leadership in their community. “My scholarships have definitely enabled me to not only focus on my academics, but also my extracurricular activities. I had the freedom to focus on a range of things I enjoy. Diversity of interests is very important for the Rhodes Scholarship and I’m thankful I’ve been able to do that.” It’s financial support like hers that enables Dal to attract the brightest and most promising young students.

Nayani has always felt pulled towards both the sciences and the arts. She grew up with a deep fascination for both the natural world and the mechanical one — everything from bugs and birds to gears and clocks. She also loved playing the violin, was an avid reader and did a lot of her own writing too. “They feel like completely different ways of working on something,” she says of mixing her engineering and creative writing work. “I think it adds a nice variety of balance to the day.” She’s also been able to nurture her interest in environmental issues. Her senior design project is a man-powered vegetation shredder that aims to help Common Roots Urban Farm compost waste material faster. And much of her co-op experience has involved environmental applications. “Co-op is one of the best things I’ve done at university,” says Nayani. “I knew what mechanical engineering was but I didn’t have a clear picture of what it means to work as an engineer, what it entails, what kinds of jobs there are. Now I have a much better idea of what the profession looks like. “Engineers are doing a lot of really versatile things,” she says. “People think of engineering as being very narrow, forcing you to do one thing, but that’s not really the case. You can definitely do a lot — it never has to be just math, or just physics, or just art for that matter. I think when you’re in university, there’s the possibility of doing everything you want to do.” And she will continue the exploration when she heads to Oxford next fall to pursue a senior BA in English Language and Literature.

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STAYING THE COURSE For some students, receiving financial support is truly a difference maker, enabling them to continue their education when they face barriers and stress that accompany the cost of post-secondary education. HALF WAY THROUGH HER COMPUTER SCIENCE DEGREE, Aisha Gattous faced a reality not uncommon for many university students — she was contemplating not returning for her second semester. But neither her grades nor motivation were the issue, she was unsure how she would pay for tuition (and other associated costs of school). “I work two part-time jobs so I had enough money saved for my first semester, but I was financially strapped for second semester. My plan was to work full time at my two jobs and consider a third,” says the Halifax native. Thankfully before Aisha was forced to make a tough decision she received news she was one of 12

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Dalhousie students to receive The Joyce Family Foundation Student Success Award. The financial support enabled Aisha to continue her third year. “This year has been the most stressful financially. When I found out I had received this bursary it energized me and gave me a new sense of motivation. Knowing someone is supporting my education and future makes me want to do my best,” she says. “I’m confident it will help me stay on track and finish my degree on time and with high grades.” The Joyce Family Foundation Student Success Award was first awarded this academic year to students at Dal’s Halifax campus. A second bursary

fund, The Joyce Family Foundation Agricultural Bursaries, is earmarked for Faculty of Agriculture students this coming September. Helping students overcome socio-economic barriers by providing financial aid was the key driver in providing the bursaries for Dal students. Aisha knows she is not alone when it comes to worries around financing an education. “Financial stress is one of the main considerations for students when it comes to not attending or leaving university,” she says. “We’re in a time where education is so important and the benefits of educating more people has a large societal impact, so there shouldn’t be barriers to accessing it.” And it’s with thanks to The Joyce Family Foundation that Aisha is continuing on her own journey with a clear focus on her future. Aisha is confident she’s meant to be an educator, affirmed by her many volunteer initiatives as well as her part-time jobs where she works with school-aged children. “I want to be in a position to enrich the curriculum, not simply deliver it to students. I absolutely want to work with youth — they are the future.” Clearly it’s a sentiment she shares with The Joyce Family Foundation which is making education more accessible to young Nova Scotians.

But our research also showed another crucial element — if students at risk of leaving get the support they need early on (during first and second year) their chances of completing their degree increases significantly. The university immediately and collaboratively developed a strategy that would incite positive change. And like many things here at Dalhousie, it wasn’t something we could do alone. We reached out to donors who had expressed a keen interest in wanting students to have every opportunity to succeed. Now Dalhousie is able to provide that support to students from the moment they step onto campus through the On Track program. From individualized academic and career plans, to helping students identify their strengths and mapping out future goals, to connecting them with campus resources, On Track helps students transition to university and provides supportive resources throughout first year and beyond. And while the university used data analysis to guide its decision-making and priority setting, we were always aware that behind all the numbers are great people wanting to be the very best they can. Together, we’re helping them do that.

OF THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN ON TRACK:

72 81 1.4 X PER CENT

Aisha Gattous

Two years ago, data showed that Dalhousie had a retention problem — about 18 per cent of our first-year students were “dropping out”; that’s about 350 students per year. While some student attrition is to be expected, Dal was performing below many of its Canadian counterparts.

PER CENT

“Knowing someone is supporting my education and future makes me want to do my best.”

PARTICIPANTS ACHIEVED HIGHER GRADES

RETURNED TO DAL IN FALL 2018 (Compared to 58 per cent who were eligible but did not participate)

ELIGIBLE STUDENTS WERE MORE LIKELY TO RETURN TO DAL COMPARED TO THOSE WHO WERE ELIGIBLE BUT DID NOT PARTICIPATE

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“Having CDL-Atlantic at Dalhousie is a one-of-a-kind learning experience that will only bring good things in the future.” Hope Scheller, MBA student

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ACCELERATED

LEARNING

Dalhousie’s partnership with the Creative Destruction Lab is creating Atlantic Canada’s next entrepreneurial superstars, while providing worldclass business learning opportunities for MBA and master’s students in the Rowe School of Business. LAST SPRING, CREATIVE DESTRUCTION LAB (CDL), Canada’s top startup accelerator, expanded to Atlantic Canada, launching a branch at the Rowe School of Business. CDL helps promising ventures transition into high-growth companies. And at the same time the program provides vital real-world learning opportunities for MBA and master’s students. Donor support has been instrumental to CDL-Atlantic, with more than $2 million directed towards the program. While financial resources have been a catalyst for the launch, many supporters are also giving generously of their time, which is the true value of CDL. The program provides startups with access to a powerful network of accomplished entrepreneurs and investors through a nine-month, milestone-based mentoring program. Students have the chance to play an important role by providing high potential tech and science-based startups with the strategic insights they need to turn their research innovation into high-growth ventures. First-year MBA student Hope Scheller is among the first cohort of students to benefit from the partnership. She is currently enrolled in her eight-month corporate residency placement as project coordinator with CDL-Atlantic. “Through my residency I wanted to connect with business leaders and entrepreneurs within Atlantic Canada. I also wanted to learn about new innovations and why they succeed or fail,” says Hope. “CDL-Atlantic was the perfect fit. “I work closely with the startups to ensure they have met all their deliverables and have the support they need to make it through the program,” says Hope. “At the end of every meeting, fellows and associates volunteer for

a minimum of four hours to work with these ventures — if no one volunteers to mentor them, they do not continue.” Since January, Hope has worked with the ventures and has seen them grow significantly. She says it’s exciting to watch the ventures meet their milestones, and it’s empowering for her own learning as well. With a background in science and research, being immersed in the business world so early in her MBA is a huge benefit. And she says it’s gratifying to apply the knowledge she’s learned thus far to help the ventures grow. While Hope is in a unique position already having the opportunity to work with CDL-Atlantic, she and her MBA peers can dig deeper during second year when they can take a CDL course on technology driven company creation and work with the participating startups and mentors. “Having CDL-Atlantic at Dal is a one-of-a-kind learning experience that will only bring good things in the future,” she says. Though Hope speaks of her own future, the potential for future economic impact is undeniable. CDL-Atlantic is set to accelerate the Atlantic startup community and grow the innovation ecosystem. Since launching at the University of Toronto in 2012, CDL companies have generated more than $1 billion in equity value. (Besides Toronto and Halifax, CDL has programs in Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver and New York.) With a specialty program for ocean, clean and agrifood technology companies, CDL-Atlantic will help leverage the unique strengths in the region and spur the commercialization of more ocean, clean technology and agriculture research. And every step of the way, Dal students will be involved — learning, growing and contributing.

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SAYING THANKS TO

DAL DONORS

On January 31, more than 400 students from across the university came out to an event on campus to say #dalTHANKS to donors, alumni and friends for scholarships, experiential learning opportunities, spaces to learn, and the countless other ways their support makes Dalhousie an exceptional learning environment.

“I’m thankful to those who provide a fantastic support system for Dal student athletes. Succeeding in both athletics and academics is so much easier with this support and encouragement.” Isabel, Faculty of Science

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“Thank you to the donors who give to mental health supports on campus and help to make Dal so accessible and welcoming.” Riley, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

“To those who give to the Dalhousie Legal Aid Service – thank you for supporting this critical community program and incredible education experience.” Melanie, Schulich School of Law

“My scholarships made it possible for me to follow my passion for Canadian and Indigenous politics and complete a master’s degree.” Callee, Faculty of Graduate Studies

“I’ve grown so much from my university experience so far and none of it would be possible without your generous contribution. Thank you for helping me get the most out of Dal.” Sophia, Faculty of Science

YOUR LASTING

IMPACT

In 2017–18, donors like you generously gave $40,949,581 to support student financial assistance, academic programming, research, student services, facilities and equipment, and special projects at Dalhousie.

FUNDRAISING BREAKDOWN FISCAL YEAR 2017–18 Other 4%

Research 26.3%

Student Financial Aid 14.1%

Infrastructure/ Facilities and Equipment 18.9% Academic Programming 29.5%

Student Services 7.2%

You are making a difference in the lives of students, families and communities. We are better for your partnership and support.

Thank you. Learn more about how donors like you are making a difference at alumni.dal.ca/giving. Share your story, or thoughts on this report, at [email protected].

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